As usual, January will represent the declaration of many New Year's resolutions. And while millions of people will be signing up for gym memberships or taking up a new hobby, there are certain stones that brands, particularly those trying to appeal to teens, should be turning over as well. As has been highlighted before, teenagers are one of the most unpredictable demographics when it comes to consumer behavior. However, based on trends observed over the latter half of 2013, there are certain changes teenage-centric brands should be making, if they haven't already.

If you're a teen marketer, no doubt you've noticed that most teens seem to have their eyes glued to a phone, gaming system, or other device nearly every free minute of the day. The habit has lead to a new stereotype - the teen that isn't social with anyone he or she is around, preferring to hide behind the barrier of a screen when interacting with others. The stereotype has become so prevalent that teens and other Millennials, ironically, feel left out if they're not on their phones.

We just completed the search for our agency's winter/spring intern ... always a fun process, and we love meeting our industry's incoming talent. As we reviewed the pile of resumes, my business partner casually mentioned that he looked up the top candidates online to see if there were any red flags. He did a quick Google and Facebook search, among others, and spotted some provocative photos of one of our top choices. Hmm ... we are a dynamic, young, pretty liberal, creative agency, so does that really matter to us? Well, yeah, unfortunately I guess it kind of does. One …

In "Masterminds and Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World," author Rosalind Wiseman aims to show what really happens in the life of a teenage boy today. As Wiseman revealed in a recent "Time" magazine article, the landscape for boys is more complex than ever. Both technological and societal changes are conspiring to make it even more complicated.

It's official - teens are using Facebook less often. It's a trend that most marketers have been privy to for a while now, however Facebook CFO David Ebersman's acknowledgement of it following the release of the company's third quarter earnings has confirmed what was already being speculated. It should come as no surprise to anyone. While analysts and reporters may be overacting just a tad, teen obsessions rarely last more than a decade. It's the reason why bell bottoms weren't popular in the '80s, leg warmers disappeared in the '90s and flannel fell off in the early 2000s. Why should …

Teens are the gatekeepers of cool, always willing to try new things and setting the standard for what's hot and what's not. They are early adopters and an important barometer for brands. Following are a few trends we're seeing take off with teens, pointing to what will be hot or not on the horizon. While some present challenges for youth marketers, some also offer opportunities for us to better understand and reach today's teens.

What are CPG brands doing with their packaging to successfully connect with teen audiences? They need to get to know their consumers. How do they interact with the product, store it, use it, share it, purchase it, discard of it? Take all of this into account with the design.

When I was a teen, my friends and I couldn't wait to get our own cars. We begged our parents to teach us how to drive, help us get our driver's licenses and buy our first cars. It was a rite of passage that was as American as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and, well...Chevrolet.

This past week, a friend took his own life. He was talented, interesting and big-hearted - and those words only dwarf the loss of this one-of-a-kind individual. You never know what drives someone to that ultimate choice. But, like many other parents of teens, I can't help but fear the things that, at least in part, drive teens to contemplate it.

The Labor Department released its delayed Jobs Report on Monday, announcing that American employers added 148,000 jobs in September, well below the forecast of 180,000. For the youth of America, transitioning into adulthood has become more delayed and harder to reach - a reality that will result in a lasting impact on the country's society and economy, and play into the "lost generation" that many economists have identified for millennials.